A gluten free cooking and baking site with a touch of Puerto Rican charm and flare! Many recipes from my heritage. Full recipes and step by step instructions on how to make all of these delicious dishes.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Eat what you want today

May 11th is National “Eat What You Want Day”. Doesn’t it astonish you that we have an entire day dedicated to eating whatever we want?! Wait isn’t that what we do every day? If it isn't, shouldn't it be? You may think that concept sounds much easier than it really is. The sad truth is that on any given day 100 million Americans are on diets. Why is it then. that America is still plagued with obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease which are still on the rise? Doesn’t it seem we’ve been on diets forever or at least since the 80’s? Well now is your chance to ignore the scale today and eat whatever you want. For those with Celiac it can present a challenge, but it need not. You can still eat whatever you desire; it just needs to be gluten-free. With a little research you can either find a place that can make your gluten-free specialties for you, or find the recipe to create it yourself.

Interesting enough May 6th is International “No Diet Day”; a celebration of body acceptance and body shape diversity. This day, originated in 1992, is also dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of restrictive diets and the health risks of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders. This concept is admirable; unfortunately folks find themselves bewildered by its name. Naturally, when some hear those words, the assumption is over-indulgence. But there is an unspoken clause attached: “in moderation”. Even the health-conscious sustainable food guru and author Michael Pollan of "Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food" has a favorite saying: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” He is advises us to avoid edible food-like substances, he never implies that we should eat everything in sight. Sampling from each of the food groups is the thought behind his words.

Good advice is to eat when you are hungry, don’t eat just because everyone else says to, and when you feel full, stop. A great quote by Julia Childs is, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” Julia Childs was amazing and had such incredible genes that she ate pretty much anything she desired and lived to be 92. Maybe it was her happy-go-lucky attitude, her Energizer-bunny-like vigor or maybe it was the fact that she never was on a diet. Any way you look at it she was a force to be reckoned with and she sure knew how to enjoy food and life!

Today should be a gift to your self. Think about what you truly love to eat, and either find a restaurant that can make it gluten-free, or get the recipe and fix it your self. Once you try it you will be surprised how that feeling of deprivation goes away. Knowing how to make these special dishes yourself puts you in the driver seat, and gives you a sense of control. Feeling in control is the key to not feeling deprived.

In spite of all of the warnings if you should over-indulge and purchase too many groceries for that recipe, don’t feel compelled to consume all of your choices at once; cut yourself some slack and either freeze the left-over’s, share them with friends, or remember that every November 15th is “National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day”.

In Sacramento you can check out Urbanspoon a website for neighborhood restaurants. When you get to the main page click on Sacramento and then scroll down to the section with the specific types of food and you will find everything including a section for gluten-free friendly with 88 different restaurants listed alone. With that in mind

and scroll down to the section with the specific types of food and you will find everything including a section for gluten-free friendly with 88 different restaurants listed. With that being said, there is no excuse for you to eat what you want today. Now you too can celebrate this national day, gluten-free and guilt-free!

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About Me

I am 48 year old mother of three and grand mother to a beautiful baby boy. I have been married to a wonderful man, Michael for 13 years. I am Puerto Rican and very proud of it! I have Celiac Disease and so do my children (Ages 25 to 11). I think I have had it all of my life, but I was only diagnosed 5 years ago. My main goal as a mom and as a cook is to look at all of the benefits of eating gluten free and in empowering myself, my children and others to be able to create sumptuous meals and exquisite desserts that are virtually undetectable to the gluten eating world. My beloved mother was my greatest teacher and inspiration for all of my culinary endeavors. My passions in life are cooking, gardening, working with children, and teaching. I love to share my recipes and techniques. So I decided to take at least a few of my passions and put them all together into a new business. I am currently teaching gluten-free baking and cooking classes at Whole Foods Market and Gluten Free Specialty in Sacramento, California several times per month. I am also in the midst of starting a small gluten-free cooking/baking business “¡Buen Provecho! Enjoy Your Food!” in the clients’ home.